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Hammerli Arms Force B1 Straight-Pull Rimfire Rifle: Full Review

The Hammerli Arms Force B1 was taken to Australia to test its mettle. Here's a full review.

Hammerli Arms Force B1 Straight-Pull Rimfire Rifle: Full Review
(Photo by Mark Fingar)

“Do you want to go hunting in Australia?” It took me a second to make sure that I heard correctly before responding “Yes!” to Editor-­in-­Chief Eric Poole. I didn’t need to know what we were hunting because I definitely wanted to see Australia. I’d never been there before. Then I learned that the trip was a rabbit hunt designed to test a straight-pull rimfire from Hammerli.

Leading up to the hunt, I asked myself what .22 Long Rifle (LR) was so compelling that we needed to travel halfway around the world to hunt bunnies. Well, Hammerli has established a strong reputation in the competition rimfire scene. For a year, I was a member of the West Point Pistol Team and shot a Hammerli pistol. The new-for-2024 rifle had to be a big deal to justify hunting in a place where the government is known to be anti-gun. The ownership, possession and use of firearms are all regulated by Australia’s state and territory laws. The country’s National Firearm Agreement (1996) defines categories of firearms with different levels of control, but there are shooting clubs and organizations for firearm owners.

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(Photo by Mark Fingar)

1859: 24 British Rabbits Took Over Australia 

Arriving at a farm in Adelaide, New South Wales, we were hosted by Greg Pennicott Safaris . I’m sure he was well-­meaning, but in 1859 an English settler named Thomas Austin released a few rabbits into the wild in Australia with disastrous effect. Rabbits have proliferated to the point that many residents consider them a plague. Estimates of the rabbit population place it at around 200 million. I did a fair bit of rabbit hunting growing up in a Nevada farming community where we tried to keep numbers down to preserve alfalfa production. The problem Australia has isn’t going to be solved by a few rabbit hunters, but I was willing to help.

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The vertical handle on the lever that works the straight-pull bolt is a toggle-type design reminiscent of the Swiss/Hammerli K-31 international match rifles. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

I spent four days in a side-­by-­side utility vehicle working my way through rolling terrain shooting as many rabbits as I could. Distance ranged as close as 10 yards, extending to more than 100 yards. It was an ideal circumstance to review a new rimfire. I had a week to get to know the rifle and shoot several hundred rounds through it. At the end of the hunt, I realized the Force B1 was an ideal rifle for just about any rimfire task.

Notable Design Elements

The Force B1 receiver was engineered around some Ruger 10/22 patterns, and it feeds from 10/22 magazines and accepts aftermarket 10/22 triggers. This was wise because 10/22 mags and triggers are probably the most readily available .22 LR accessories. Just about every rifleman I know has a small pile of 10/22 magazines. Common capacities span 10 and 25 rounds, but there are drum mags that exceed 100 rounds. 

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The Force B1 barrel can be replaced without tools due to a collar-lock mount design. Pull the knurled ring to the rear and slide the barrel out. Hammerli Arms indicates that a .22 Winchester Magnum-chambered quick-change barrel will be available to the U.S. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

The Force B1 is initially available in .22 LR, but a .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) is forthcoming. During the hunt, I used rifles in both chamberings. Both functioned flawlessly for the duration of the hunt.

Unlike the 10/22 though, the Force B1 is a straight-­pull bolt-­action. The narrow vertical toggle on the right side of the receiver is almost impossible to miss. The handle was inspired by the Hammerli K31’s, and it makes for effortless cycling. Little effort is required to pull the bolt to the rear; a quick flick of the wrist pushes it back into battery.

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The Hammerli Force B1 feeds rimfire ammunition from 10/22 magazines, both aftermarket and ones produced by Ruger. Hammerli includes a standard 10-round magazine with the Force B1. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

The wisdom to make this a straight-­pull bolt-action rifle manifests in shooting suppressed and wanting fast follow-­up shots. The straight-­pull action allows the Force B1 to cycle faster than just about any traditional bolt-­action rimfire, yet it’s still just as quiet when suppressed. Unlike semiautomatic rimfire rifles, there is no noise from the bolt slamming against the breech with each shot. If the shooting or hunting situation calls for rapid and silent shots, no rimfire rifle  — with the possible exception of a lever-­action — will be as fast and quiet as the Force B1.

While the Force B1 borrows patterned elements from the 10/22, Hammerli developed substantial improvements. The first is an integral Picatinny rail machined atop the receiver. This eliminates the small screws normally used to secure a rail to the receiver of a traditional 10/22. Even when de-­greased secured with Loctite, mounting screws can still work loose and cause the loss of zero.

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Shared with the Ruger 10/22 is the trigger system. This also means that the Force B1 will accept aftermarket trigger units designed for the 10/22. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

The other significant receiver improvement is the quick-­change barrel system; no tools are required. There is a collar under spring tension on the receiver tenon that uses an ingenious but simple method of attaching the barrel. Pull the collar to the rear and slide the barrel into the receiver. Index marks on the barrel line it up with the receiver and seat it in place. Releasing the collar pushes a series of ball bearings into a recess in the barrel and keeps it under tension, locking it in place. I was skeptical of the accuracy using such a simple and tool-­free system, but several days of hunting followed by accuracy testing cured my skepticism.

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M-Lok slots are machined into a plate mounted below the polymer forend. ARCA plates, bipods, rails, M-Lok sling swivels, handstops, and other compatible accessories can be attached. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

The Force B1 is first available in .22 LR, but I also hunted with it in .22 WMR. Magazines for both cartridges are the standard Ruger rotary magazines. The magazine well is sized for the .22 WMR mags, so adapter plates must be attached to regular .22 LR magazines for them to work. The adapter plate is inexpensive, easily fitted to the magazine, and was 100-percent reliable. The Force B1 has a better magazine release than the standard 10/22. Instead of a tab recessed next to the magazine that requires a press before dropping, the Force B1 has a lever with two extensions that protrude away from the triggerguard. Straightening the trigger finger is all that’s required to drop a mag. Since the magazine release is incorporated with the trigger system, any magazine release found on any 10/22 pattern trigger can be used.

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Hammerli engineers crowned and threaded the barrel with 1/2x28 threads. If attaching a direct-thread suppressor, remove the O-ring to avoid baffle strikes. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

The stock is well thought-­out and has more features than I expected for a rifle at this price. It is injection-­molded polymer but offers more rigidity than anticipated. Most surprising is the adjustable length of pull. It adjusts from 141/2 to 161/2 inches, so even large adults can shoot this rifle comfortably. Length of pull is adjusted by pressing a button on the buttpad while simultaneously pulling the buttpad rearward. The comb height adjusts, too. There is a soft rubber insert that sits inside the stock’s comb. It comes installed to fit flush with the comb line from the factory. This is probably the preferred way to set up the rifle if shooting with a red-dot sight. It takes a little wiggling, but the rubber insert lifts out of the comb. Turned upside down, it raises the comb height by approximately .65 inches. The rubber insert in the raised position worked best for me with magnified optics when shooting groups for accuracy.

Recommended


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The sliding stock and reversible cheekpiece allow users to adjust length of pull and comb height. A sling attachment point is available near the toe of the stock. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

The stock is well-­suited to a wide variety of shooting because it makes use of the most popular stock profiles. The grip is close to vertical, placing the firing hand at the correct distance for most hands to have proper engagement between the trigger finger and trigger shoe. The forend has a square-­ish profile and is flat on the bottom. There is a metal insert along the underside of the forend with M-­Lok slots cut into it for mounting bipods, tripods, and ARCA plates. After spending several days hunting, I realized that the stock is one of the best general-­use stocks on a factory rifle. It isn’t too big or bulky for fast offhand shooting, but it adjusts in the right places and can accommodate precision rifle accessories. The fact that it is on a relatively inexpensive rifle makes it sweeter.

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The Force B1 did some great work in New South Wales, taking the invasive rabbit population down a peg. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

Beyond the Land of Oz

The Hammerli Force B1 is a great rifle for a number of reasons. It offers fast and quiet shooting (when suppressed), and would be handy if your need is to keep pests in check. Neighbors can love it, too. The stock is ideally suited for just about any configuration of .22 LR and .22 WMR, set-up with a scope or with a dot sight. Life with the Force B1 is going to be pretty hassle-­free. Cleaning the rifle is as simple as removing the barrel from the receiver and giving it a good scrub. Old 10/22 rifles couldn’t be cleaned from the breech, and new ones with an access hole in the back of the receiver still have to be removed from the stock. The Force B1’s barrel comes off in about 5 seconds with no need for tools. Caliber conversion, when available, is a barrel and magazine change.

Here’s your chance to experience a straight-­pull action without going broke. With its 351/2-­inch length and sub-6-pound weight, it’s handy and fun. It’s certainly qualified as a target rifle, for use in teaching youngsters to shoot, or managing the rabbit population.

Hammerli Arms Force B1

  • Type: Bolt-­action, straight-­pull
  • Cartridge: .22 LR (tested), .22 WMR
  • Capacity: 10+1 rds.
  • Barrel: 16.1 in.; 1/2x28 threaded
  • Overall Length: 35.6 in.
  • Weight: 5 lbs., 13 oz.
  • Stock: Lightweight injection-­molded polymer, M-Lok
  • Grip: Vertical, light texture
  • Length of Pull: 14.5 to 16.5 in., adj.
  • Finish: Matte black
  • Trigger: 4 lbs., 12 oz. (tested)
  • Sights :None
  • MSRP: $649
  • Manufacturer: Hammerli Arms, 479-­242-­8500, hammerliarms.com
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